Helen McEntee under intense pressure to stop killer's transfer to UK jail
Kevin Sheehy's parents Kevin Sheehy Snr and Tracey Tully at a protest at Leinster House on Friday as part of their campaign to have their son's murderer serve the rest of his sentence here. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins
Justice Minister Helen McEntee is facing intense pressure to reverse her decision to approve the transfer of a convicted murderer back to the UK.
Tracey Tully, the mother of champion boxer Kevin Sheehy, said Ms McEntee is responsible for the suffering her family is facing as a result of the possible repatriation of Englishman Logan Jackson.
Ms Tully, who campaigned outside of the Dáil on Friday, said she has slipped back into a “deep deep depression,” as she awaits the outcome of whether her son’s killer will be sent to a British prison.
Jackson was convicted of murdering champion boxer Kevin Sheehy and jailed for life last December.
He repeatedly ran over Kevin Sheehy with a Mitsubishi Shogun jeep as he lay on the ground in Limerick in 2019.
Ms McEntee approved a repatriation application by Jackson just weeks after he received a mandatory life sentence.
Ms Tully launched a judicial review challenge to the minister’s decision in the High Court and the case is due to be heard again on November 10.
Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea said he had recently spoken to the Taoiseach about the matter and had asked him to engage with Ms McEntee.
He said it was his understanding that Ms McEntee made the decision to agree to the repatriation of Jackson because “it was a recommendation from the prison service that she just decided to act upon”.
He said she had it “within her power to take it out of the domain of the courts”, and stop the process immediately.
A spokesman for Ms McEntee said an application was currently being processed and would be submitted to the minister for decision in due course.
It is understood the application will include a submission from Ms Tully, who faces a hefty legal of €80,000 to fight the minister’s decision.
Speaking to reporters, Ms McEntee said: "I can only imagine what they're going through having lost a son in such a way, but you will appreciate this is still before the court so it's just not something that I can comment on but I fully appreciate how difficult this is and how traumatic it has been for his family and particularly the way that he has been killed."
On the impact of having to wait for the minister’s decision, Ms Tully said: “I actually feel today that I’m going to have a stroke.
“I have such bad pain going down one side of my body but we have to be here.
“If you do a crime in this country, you should have to do the sentence in this country, especially such an evil act as that.”
When asked if she thought Ms McEntee was responsible for the Sheehy family facing renewed trauma, Ms Tully said: “Yes I do.
“You can’t grieve and move on even with your life until this is over."
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